The Traveller's Guide to Classical Philosophy (Paperback)

John Gaskin

ISBN 10: 0500294739 / ISBN 13: 9780500294734

Published by Thames & Hudson Ltd, London, 2019

About this Item

Paperback. The Greeks were the first to ask and discuss in a rational way two fundamental questions that never cease to concern thinking human beings: what is the nature of the universe, and what can I make of my brief time in it? Their answers, developed between the 8th century BC and the 4th century AD, are as relevant today as they were in ancient times. In this clear and evocative account, John Gaskin unfolds the thinking about nature, life, death and other worlds that informed the culture and society of the Classical world, drawing out its interest for modern readers. Witty sketches and diagrams enliven the story, which runs from Homeric Greece to the banning of pagan religions in AD 391. The book concludes with a gazetteer describing notable sites and the people and ideas connected with them, making it an ideal companion for visitors to Classical ruins and for all armchair travellers curious to explore lifes big questions. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9780500294734

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Traveller's Guide to Classical Philosophy (Paperback)
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd, London
• Publication Date: 2019
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0500294739
• ISBN 13: 9780500294734
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

In this clear and evocative account, John Gaskin unfolds the thinking about nature, life, death and other worlds that informed the culture and society of the Classical world, drawing out its interest for modern readers. Witty sketches and diagrams enliven the story, which runs from Homeric Greece to the banning of pagan religions in ad 391. The book concludes with a gazetteer describing notable sites and the people and ideas connected with them, making it an ideal companion for visitors to Classical ruins and for all armchair travellers curious to explore life’s big questions.

Table of Contents

Part I – The Idea of Hellenism: What the Greeks Created: 1. The Scheme of Things Entire • 2. The Idea of Hellenism • 3. Wine, Sex and the Symposium • 4. Theatres: Festivals, Entertainments and Meetings • 5. Temples: Gods, Feasts and Safe Deposits • Part II – The Ideal of Homer and the Ideas of the Philosophers: • 1. Troy: The Legend and the Book • 2. Troy: The Book and the Ideals • 3. Miletus: The Nature of the Universe • 4 Ionia and Western Greece: Laws, Numbers and Reality • 5. Athens: Socrates, Plato and Other Worlds • 6. Aristotle and this World: Nature, Life and Ethics • 7. Epicurus: The Garden and the Wilderness • 8. Stoicism: Duty and the Laws of Nature • 9. Neoplatonism: The Last Protest • 10. The End of Classical Antiquity • Part III – Cities and Citizens: A Gazetteer